Ras Laffan Olefins Company (RLOC), a joint venture cracker project opening in May 2010, will double ethylene exports from Qatar to 300,000 tonnes per year.

Qatar Petrochemical Company (Qapco) is developing the 1.3 million tonnes per year ethane cracker at Ras Laffan Industrial City.

RLOC is 53% owned by Q-Chem, a joint venture between the US group Chevron Phillips Chemical and Qatar Petroleum. The remaining 46% percent stake is held by Qatofin, which is jointly owned by Qapco, France’s Total Petrochemicals and Qatar Petroleum. Qatar Petroleum holds the remaining 1% stake.

Ethylene produced will be transported from Ras Laffan to derivatives units in the Mesaieed Industrial City via a 120-km 14-inch pipeline. In Mesaieed 700,000 t/a will be allocated to Q-Chem II and 600,000 t/a will be allocated to Qatofin.